Bouchard, from left, George, and Cox )
The five Republicans competing to be Michigan's next governor offer voters in the Aug. 3 primary quite a choice.
Today, The News profiles Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard, state Attorney General Mike Cox and state Sen. Tom George, who are facing U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra of Holland and Ann Arbor businessman Rick Snyder.
Hoekstra and Snyder will be profiled Friday.
Bouchard of Birmingham is gunning for the conservative vote and says he's willing to serve only four years so he can make the difficult reforms needed to put Michigan's spending in line with its tax receipts.
"I don't care if I'm a one-term governor. I don't care if I'm not popular. I want to fix the problems," Bouchard said.
Cox of Livonia, the son of Irish immigrants, wants voters to know he's a tough-minded administrator who will make the hard decisions.
"I don't want my kids emigrating to somewhere else ... especially after all my parents went through to get here," Cox said.
George of Kalamazoo is an anesthesiologist who promotes his dual role in the workplace and the statehouse.
"I'm the only (Republican candidate) with a job who's working and serving in the Legislature. I realize I'm an underdog, but I'm not overly concerned about that," George said.
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